MILK Makeup

What MILK Makeup does

Milk Makeup is a New York-based clean beauty brand founded in 2016 that develops, markets, and sells vegan, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products across a portfolio centered on innovative stick-format cosmetics (Milk Sticks) and the award-winning Hydro Grip complexion line. Core proprietary technologies include Triluronic Acid (a tri-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid complex), Blue Agave Extract as a natural makeup-gripping agent, pH-adaptive Bubble Technology (pHreeze), and a dual-phase shake-to-activate setting spray system; the brand excludes more than 2,500 ingredients from its formulations. Products are priced between $14 and $52 and span primers, skin tints, concealers, blushes, bronzers, highlighters, mascaras, brow products, lip oils, and skincare serums.

The business operates a hybrid direct-to-consumer and wholesale model, with revenue generated through milkmakeup.com e-commerce, a Subscribe & Save subscription offering (10% discount on 1-5 month intervals), and distribution across Sephora (primary retail partner historically), Ulta Beauty (600+ doors launched spring 2025), Amazon Premium Beauty, SpaceNK, Sephora at Kohl's, and Sephora Europe across 15+ countries. Customer segments include clean beauty consumers, time-poor/on-the-go users, and active-lifestyle consumers seeking long-wear, non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested formulations. Brand-building is driven by social media (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook), influencer marketing, celebrity collaborations (Cardi B), and community initiatives such as the WME Fashion Incubator program.

Milk Makeup is a wholly-owned brand subsidiary of Waldencast plc (NASDAQ: WALD), a publicly traded beauty platform. Waldencast completed a $460 million divestiture of its Obagi Medical segment in February 2026, refocusing the parent on Milk Makeup as its sole operating brand. Headcount sits at 51-100 employees, and the brand has accumulated over $132.1 million in impairment charges in H1 2025 reflecting declining revenue (FY2025 down 11.4% with Q3 2025 down 20.1% to $25.2 million), indicating execution and demand challenges despite the Ulta Beauty expansion and 2026 product refresh initiatives.

Name

MILK Makeup

Legal name

Milk Makeup

Website

https://milkmakeup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MILK Makeup is a New York-based clean beauty brand developing vegan, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products — including its award-winning Hydro Grip line and signature Milk Sticks — sold direct-to-consumer and through Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and Sephora Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clean Beauty Cosmetics

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (45612), Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Clean/Organic/Natural Makeup (Positioning-based Color Cosmetics) (CRABACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Face Makeup (Foundation, Concealer, Powder, Blush, Bronzer, Highlighter) (CRABACAA), Lip Makeup (Lipstick, Lip Gloss, Lip Liner, Lip Stain, Lip Balm-Tint) (CRABACAC), Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Toners, Moisturizers) (CRABAAAA)

Keywords

• Clean beauty cosmetics
• Vegan makeup products
• Skincare-infused color
• Stick format makeup
• Cruelty-free beauty

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: Primary revenue stream from direct-to-consumer sales of vegan, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products through milkmakeup.com and retail partners including Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Amazon, and SpaceNK. Products are sold at various price points ranging from $14-$52.
2. Subscription (Subscribe & Save): Recharge-powered subscription model offering 10% discount on regular orders with automatic delivery on customer's chosen schedule (1-5 month intervals).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

MILK Makeup develops, manufactures, and sells vegan, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products formulated with skincare ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vegan collagen, blue agave extract, and niacinamide. The product line centers on innovative stick-format cosmetics and the award-winning Hydro Grip complexion collection, with retail pricing between $14 and $52 and direct distribution through milkmakeup.com and major beauty retailers.

Product overview

Milk Makeup is a clean beauty brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of vegan, cruelty-free makeup and skincare products. The product line centers on innovative stick-format cosmetics (Milk Sticks) and the award-winning Hydro Grip Collection. Key product families include: Hydro Grip (primers, skin tints, concealers, setting sprays providing 12-hour wear); New Generation Milk Sticks (Lip + Cheek Blur, Lip + Cheek, Quick Sculpt, Matte Bronzer, High Light, Line + Fill with 8-hour staying power); KUSH Collection (mascaras, brow products, lip oils); Pore Eclipse (mattifying primers and setting products); Bionic Collection (collagen-infused liquid makeup); and Cooling Water line (jelly-formula tints and serums). Products are formulated clean with hyaluronic acid, ceramides, vegan collagen, and plant-based ingredients. The brand emphasizes multi-functional, easy-to-use stick formats designed for on-the-go application with buildable coverage and skincare benefits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% say product provides even color payoff in one swipe (Lip + Cheek Blur consumer study)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• WME FashionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026WME Fashion partnership with Milk Makeup for third cycle of Fashion Incubator program, a professional development initiative. Selected mentees gain hands-on experience through photo shoot at Milk Makeup's SoHo headquarters, executing hair, makeup, wardrobe styling, photography, and management tasks. Program runs September through November in New York City.
• Paula's ChoiceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 13 June 2026Paula's Choice Paris pop-up collaboration included Milk Makeup presence for joint skincare and makeup corner experience. American skincare brand Paula's Choice opened free pop-up at 18 rue de Turenne in Paris's 4th arrondissement, featuring skin diagnostics and interactive experiences.
• DMI SolutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 29 April 2026DMI Solutions appointed Dianna Ruth, co-founder of Milk Makeup, as Chief Innovation Officer to lead innovation strategy across beauty, personal care, and wellness. This appointment reflects the evolving role of manufacturing partners like DMI Solutions, which now provide strategic guidance and integrated support beyond product execution.
• Cardi BflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 October 2025Music collaboration with Cardi B capturing behind-the-scenes content at Milk Studios in Los Angeles ahead of her first album release in seven years. Partnership included GRWM video and exclusive tour shoot content, with makeup artist Erika La' Pearl using Milk Makeup's Hydro Grip Gel Skin Tint for Cardi's looks.
• Ulta BeautycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 January 2025Milk Makeup announced launch in over 600 Ulta Beauty stores nationwide and on Ulta.com in Spring 2025, making award-winning products including Hydro Grip Primer and Cooling Water Jelly Tint available to Ulta Beauty's millions of customers with full assortment of 150+ products priced $20-$52.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Glossier: Direct clean beauty competitor with similar DTC-plus-retail model, millennial/Gen Z target consumer, and minimalist brand aesthetic. Both brands sell skincare-makeup hybrids at similar price points and have navigated the same clean beauty fashion-cycle headwinds.
• Rare Beauty: Direct competitor in the prestige/celebrity-led clean beauty space with strong Sephora/Ulta distribution. Both compete for the same on-the-go consumer with multi-functional stick and complexion products.
• Kosas: Direct clean beauty peer focused on skincare-infused color cosmetics with similar clean ingredient positioning. Both compete in the Sephora channel and target consumers seeking hybrid skincare-makeup products at similar price points.
• Tower 28 Beauty: Direct clean beauty competitor focused on sensitive-skin and non-comedogenic formulations. Both brands sell at Sephora and target consumers seeking gentle, clean makeup with skin benefits.
• Fenty Beauty: Direct peer in the inclusive shade-range and high-performance color cosmetics space, sold at Sephora and Ulta. Both compete for the same trend-driven consumer with broad demographic reach and inclusive product lines.
• ILIA Beauty: Direct clean beauty peer with strong skincare-infused positioning and Sephora/Ulta distribution. Both brands compete on the clean-plus-performance intersection with similar price points ($20-$50).

Broad incumbents

• Charlotte Tilbury: Established global prestige beauty brand with broad Sephora distribution and stick-format complexion products. Comparable product architecture (multi-functional complexion sticks) at slightly higher price points; serves as a benchmark for international prestige beauty expansion.
• Pat McGrath Labs: Established luxury color cosmetics brand with Sephora distribution. Compares on the high-performance artistry positioning and prestige retail footprint, though at significantly higher price points.
• Drunk Elephant: Established clean beauty brand (now owned by LVMH) with Sephora distribution. Comparable clean/vegan ingredient positioning and similar Sephora/Ulta placement, though more skewed toward skincare than color cosmetics.

Emerging players

• Tatcha: Skincare-anchored brand with growing color cosmetics line.Comparable hybridization strategy (skincare benefits + cosmetics) and similar clean-leaning positioning; owned by Unilever, providing scale comparison.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZeYuwBrLCYDZZM5ibwhOiw
• Facebookfacebook.com/milkmakeup
• Instagraminstagram.com/milkmakeup
• TikToktiktok.com/@milkmakeup?lang=en
• Xx.com/milkmakeup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/milk-makeup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MILK Makeup